Combination seed scattering and shovel back device



W. ELLIOTT Nov 7, 1933-.

COMBINATION SEED SCATTERING AND SHOVEL BACK DEVICE Filed April 25, 1950 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 COMBINATION SEED SCATTERING AND SHOVEL BACK DEVICE William Elliott, Beatrice, Nebr., assignor to Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Nebraska Application April 23, 1930. Serial No. 446,624 6 Claims. (01. 111-86) My invention relates to a combination seedcollar has a strengthening rib 13 and a pair of scattering and shovel back device for the purpose ears 14 diametrically opposite the rib 13. The of depositing seed in the furrow formed by the collar is split as shown in Figure 4 and the two furrow opener. The primary object of the inears 14 are parallel to each other adjacent the vention is theprovision of a shovel back designed ends at the split portion. The cars are provided t] for the purpose of scattering and distributing the with apertures 15 for the reception of bolts 16 seed throughout the width of the furrow formed through which the collar 11 may be tightly by the furrow opener. clamped about the seed tube 12. The shovel vAnother of my objects is the provision of a back is integral in construction and the portion 10 shovelback' which may be attached to any kind underneath the collar 11 is flared out in fan- C5 of furrow opener such as is used to open a furrow shape to conform to the shape of the under side and to prepare a seed bed for small grains. of the furrow opener 10. The collar 11 is re- A further object of the invention is the produced at its outlet extremity where it directly vision of a shovel. backwhich may be easily atengages the furrow opener 10 so as to provide a 16 tached to or detached from the standard ofthe smooth and continuous surface. at the exposed to implement when it is necessary to sharpen the joints between the shovel back and the furrow furrow opener or to change from one size to opener. This construction is best shown in Figanother. ure 2 and its purpose is to prevent theentrance Having in view these objects and others to of dust and moisture into the joints. 7 20 which reference is made .in the following descrip- The seed feeding channel of the shovel back 2'5 tiOIl, is continuous with that of the seed tube 12 but I will now refer to the drawing,.in which this channel changes its direction to the horizon-.

Figure l is a median vertical sectional view tal as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5. The channel 7 of the shovel back in its relation to a seed tube, from the seed tube is continued in arcuate form 5 the shovel or furrow opener being omitted. as shown in Figure 1, the purpose being to alter Figure 2 is a'view in side elevation of the shovel the direction of flow of the seed in such a way back and of a portion .of the seed tube, the shovel as to provide for the maximum scattering of the or furrow opener being shown in section. seed. The seed passing out through the mouth Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line of the conduit or channel is hurled against the 30 3-3 of Figure 2. upper surface of thebottom of .the shovel back Figure 4 isa sectional view taken on the line and also against the under surface of the shovel 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the or furrow opener. It should be noted thatzsmall arrows. grains such aswheat, oats,-barley, and the-like Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the shovel will not pass through the seed tube ina fine 35 back attached to-the end of the seed tube. stream but theywill be scattered throughout their 0 Figure 6 is a view in rear elevation of the lower passage through the seed tube. For my purpose it portion of the shovel back and of the seed tube. is important that the seed be, not only main- The shovel or furrow opener 10 is the usual .tained in ;a scatteredcondition but that it also lister type furrow opener which cuts a 'gash in be further scattered beforeitreaches theoutlet the surface soil and which deposits the soil in in its passagethrough the shovel back. ridges at both sides of the furrow opener. In The upper surface of the bottom of the shovel the present instance the furrow opener 10 is so back is straight from front to rear as shown shaped and dimensionedthat it will crumble the in Figures 1 and 2. This surface is ridged as moist soil taken from-the bottom of the furrow shown and the shovel back is provided with a and so that it will deposit much of the crumbled front portion which seats tightly against the unmoist soilin the fur-row in the rear of the furrow der surface of the furrow opener 10., It should opener. The seed is deposited in the bottom of be noted that the shovel back is firmly secured the furrow and is covered by the moist soil which to the furrow opener by riveting or by welding is pressed down by means of presser wheels which or in any other suitable manner. It is desirable,

1'59 constitute part of the implement. Since the however, that all joints be as tight as possible r 9 presser wheels are old and well-known inthe art inorder to prevent injury due to the constant it is deemed unnecessary to show and describe hammering of the stream of grain and also from them specifically. the moisture which is apt to collect in loose joints The shovel back has a collar 11 at its upper in all soil-working implements. The ridge 18 "755 extremity for engaging the seed tube 12. This with the front wall of the furrow back in tight $1.1

contact with the under surface of the furrow opener 10 is formed largely with the object of making the joint tight. Another object of this ridge 18 is to deflect and to guide the movement of the seed immediately before the seed is discharged into the furrow. The portion 19 of the shovel back is also formed for tight connection with the furrow opener 10, as best shown in Figure 6. The bottom wall 20 of the shovel back is curved as shown in Figures 3 and 5 and it is spaced from the sides of the furrow opener throughout the distance between the ridge 18 and the portion 19. This provides for two apertures 21 underneath the furrow opener 10, these apertures being relatively narrow as shown in Figure 3 and relatively long as shown in Figure 2.

In its passage through the field the shovel cuts a shallow lister furrow and leaves a plow sole in the moist ground at the bottom of the furrow. It is on this plow sole that the seed is dropped in scattered condition throughout the entire width of the furrow. The seed is dropped while the furrow with its plow sole are being formed and the seed is immediately covered up by the crumbly moist soil which drops back into the furrow immediately after the shovel has passed on, the soil being then pressed down by a press er wheel following the shovel. The ground is not allowed to dry out but the prime advantage is the broadcasting of the seed throughout the entire width of the furrow.

When it is desired to sharpen the shovel, the shovel with its shovel back may be readily removed by releasing the bolts 16'. It is sometimes advantageous to provide the same implement with interchangeable shovels of various widths. The releasable connection of the combined shovel and shovel back with the seed tube facilitates the ready interchangeability of shovels without the necessity of employing a different implement whenever a change in the width of the furrow becomes necessary or desirable.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A shovel back adapted for attachment to a shovel or furrow opener of the lister type, said shovel back having a' forwardly and downwardly inclined seed conduit terminating at the apex of the rear surface of the shovel or furrow opener, downwardly and laterally inclined elongated discharge passageways adjacent the rear surfaces of the shovel or furrow opener for receiving the seed from said conduit and for discharging it in scattered condition in the newly formed furrow, and means for clamping said shovel back to a seed tube of a seeding implement.

2. A shovel back adapted for attachment to a shovel or furrow opener of the lister type, said shovel back having a seed conduit inclined first downwardly and forwardly and then horizontally and forwardly and terminating at the apex of the rear surface of the shovel or furrow opener, the lower side walls of said shovel back being downwardly, laterally and forwardly inclined and spaced from the rear walls of the shovel or furrow opener in substantial parallelism therewith to provide a pair of rearwardly diverging elongated discharge passageways communicating withsaid seed conduit for discharging the seed in scattered condition in the newly formed furrow, and means for clamping said shovel back to a seed tube of a seed implement.

3. A shovel back adapted for attachment to a shovel or furrow opener of the lister type, said shovel back having a seed conduit with a floor inclined first downwardly and forwardly and then horizontally and forwardly and terminating at the apex of the rear surface of the shovel or furrow opener, the floor of said conduit being convex in its lower portion in spaced parallelism with the side walls of the shovel or furrow opener to provide narrow but elongated outlets for discharging the seed in scattered condition in the newly formed furrow, a rear wall for said furrow back limiting the length of the seed outlets, and means for clamping said shovel back to a seed tube of a seed implement.

4. A shovel back adapted to be secured to a shovel of the lister type, said shovel back having a fan-shaped forwardly and downwardly projecting surface spaced from the rear or under side of the shovel and in intimate contact with the shovel at the forward extremity of said shovel back, the shovel and said shovel back together providing a conduit which is closed at its forward extremity and open only at the two side edges of said shovel back whereby the seed in scattered condition is broadcasted immediately underneath the shovel.

5. A shovel back adapted to be secured to a shovel of the lister type, said shovel back having a forwardly and downwardly inclined surface terminating in a pair of downwardly and laterally inclined surfaces, both of said surfaces being spaced from the rear or under side of the shoveland in intimate contact with the shovel at the forward extremity of said shovel back, the shovel and said shovel back together providing a conduit which is closed at its forward extremity and open only at the two side edges of said shovel back whereby the seed in scattered condition is broadcasted immediately underneath the shovel.

6. In combination with a lister type shovel, a shovel back secured tov said shovel, a split collar projecting from said shovel back, a pair. of parallel ears projecting outwardly from said collar at the split portion drawing said ears toward each other with said collar inclamping engagement about the mouth of the seed tube of a seeding implement, said shovel back having a fan-shaped downwardly and forwardly projecting portion spaced except at its forward extremity from the rear or under side of said shovel and having a plurality of aperturesbetween said shovel and said shovel back for broadcasting seed in the newly formed furrow.

W'ILLIAM ELLIOTT.

thereof, and means for 5 

